HS2 for teachers

High Speed Two for teachers

HS2 is the biggest infrastructure project in a generation, bringing high speed rail connections to millions of people. It will create jobs throughout the country, support the growth of new industries, and help to close the UK skills gap.

Our education programme supports schools along the route in delivering careers education. It’s about inspiring young people from every background to choose STEM careers, and putting resources into teachers’ hands that create a real-life context for wider curriculum learning.

Supporting your teaching with student activities

Our curriculum-linked resources are accessible and flexible; they enhance the teaching of subjects such as maths, physics and English.

Zoom Rail

Take on a role in the Zoom Rail project team! Students evaluate four possible routes for a new railway. With no perfect answer, they must weigh up pros and cons, balancing community, economic and environmental factors, and make a case for their choice.

Zoom Train

Age groups: KS2-KS4

Suggested curriculum links: physics, CDT, art, maths, English.

Using a template, students cut out a train and its wheels and then create its powertrain – using a balloon! This simple, engaging, hands-on activity encourages creativity and teamwork as students compete to build the fastest train.

HS2 World on Plotr

We’re working with careers information provider Plotr to help young people find out about our project and show them the range of career opportunities HS2 could offer. To find careers inspiration and advice, visit our World on Plotr.We’re working with careers information provider Plotr to help young people find out about our project and show them the range of career opportunities HS2 could offer. To find careers inspiration and advice, Visit our HS2 world.

Career role models

People at HS2 work in a huge variety of roles, from IT to archaeology, from engineering to the environment. Many of them volunteer as education ambassadors to share their experiences.

Our ambassadors can help bring your careers and enterprise events to life; they can also work alongside you on interactive workshops that get students thinking about their own abilities.

It’s not just about preparing for a job in rail, or even a career in engineering. Wherever your students see themselves, we can help them explore their ideas, build on their interests, and start developing the workplace skills that employers really need.

STEM Inspiration Days

HS2 is working with educational charity The Smallpeice Trust to deliver STEM Inspiration Days in secondary schools. Each workshop involves up to 60 KS3 students, working in teams to complete ‘design and build’ rail engineering challenges which bring the STEM curriculum to life.

With the help of our ambassadors, the education team at HS2 supports and co-ordinates events at selected schools along the route of our railway. Please contact skills@hs2.org.uk if you would like to learn more.

HS2 Teacher resources

HS2 World

More than just a railway, HS2 is about unlocking potential and making better connections between people and places. It’s about finding new skills, growing new industries, and starting thousands of people on a rewarding career. Share career ideas with students at HS2 World.